Thanks and Smiles

Superman · 03-26-2002, 09:00 PM

I'm probably going to write some kind of a report of my rebuild but I want to say a couple of things now. First the car runs great and I take back all those things I said about 20/21 cams. This engine had some sort of problem we think was the Frequency Valve. It ran very poorly. Well, the problem went away, I adjusted it to run much better. It made a trip to Seattle today and got a final mixture adjustment at John Walker's Workshop, which brings me to the other thing I want to say. Which is a great big fat "Thanks."

Thanks to my Northwest Pelicanhead brethren for leaving me standing in my garage as it started to rain with a tranny on my floor and an engine in at least two pieces. After you left, the project got more interesting but not more fun. The beer you left behind was delicious. It took two days to gather the empty beer bottles.

Thanks Tyson, for everything. You're an absolute maniac around cars and we're very much going to miss you at autocross and at our other events. Thanks for fixing my door, my shifter, etc., etc. The rear wheel bearing removal still amazes me.

And John Walker. I don't know why you decided to be so nice to me but I couldn't have dreamed up a better resource for this project. You have been a fountain of information, much of which is not available anywhere else outside the minds of those few folks who have spend thousand of hours touching Porche 911s with tools. I am truly thankful you did not charge me by the hour for this advice. And I think I speak for many other Pelicanheads when I thank you for being so generous with your knowledge.

Others behind the scenes are equally thankworthy (did I just make up a word?). It was Warren who first made me feel I could tackle any aspect of 911 repair. He built Pelican perhaps as much as anyone save Wayne and I have appreciated his advice and friendship during the rebuild and over these years. Thanks, Warren.

And thanks to all you other numbskulls, scalliwags and rascals. You're funny.

The engine runs really GREAT. I am very pleased. These 20/21 cams are all they are said to be. The power band is FAT. The engine frankly has more torque everywhere. Of course, fresh valves and rings may be partly responsible. Good torque way down to 1500 rpm or so. more torquy around 3 grand for highway/traffic driving. And the adrenaline rush is still very much there around 4 grand. I have not taken it to redline yet, but I'll admit to discovering that power does not seem to taper off around 5500 rpm, as the stock cams do. I have already been told these cams do not let power taper off. I believe it and can't wait to verify.

Project complete. Film at 11:00.

Leland Pate · 03-26-2002, 09:14 PM

(Am a I numbskull or a rascal?)

Congrats Jim!
Sounds like you have a beast of a 3.0 now!
...and I bet yours doesn't leak...

I have been very tempted to have my cams brought up to 964 spec. as well.

....by the way... I know I haven't been around much... but....is Tyson going some where???

He better not... I wanted him to come up to the Round-up this summer!!!

Anyway, congrats to you Mr. Jim... ,and welcome to the "club".

speeder · speeder's Garage

Super, glad to hear it. What other mods did you do,(if any), besides cams? Did you buy cams from webcam, or just have yours reground? At any rate, good luck and have fun!

Superman · 03-27-2002, 05:51 AM

Rascal, Leland. You're a rascal. Definitely not a numbskull or scalliwag. Tyson is going to the land of sunshine and silicon. And silicone. And Laguna Seca. Willow Springs. If he doesn't come back to see us we'll have to hunt him down under all those bikinis.

I think my engine still leaks a little but I'm going to deal with that. John Walker says he warned me about the cam thrust plate gasket and I'm sure he did. He gave me WAY more tips than I could remember. The ones I did remember came in very handy. I need to have a pad and pencil when I chat with that guy.

I got my cams at a swap meet. John Walker's swap meet. I do like them very much. I felt the car was pipey enough that it was not a particularly perfect daily driver, which is its primary job. Always having to downshift to get power. Now, adequate power is always there. Definitely improved torque in the 2000 to 4000 rpm range. I also will try a pair of older, equal length heat exchangers and muffler. I saw Glen's new SSIs yesterday and I want some for myself.

wckrause · wckrause's Garage

Would really like to see any kind of write up that you come up with. If I could ever get my headstuds to break, I'd like to try and tackle a similar project, including new cams.

Congrats on your success!

island911 · 03-27-2002, 06:25 AM

Well Super, your tackling the projct was inspirational for all of us who got to enjoy the clinic.
Yesterday I was expecting the highlight of my day to be in picking up those SSI's. Seeing your car WAY up in Seattle under its' own power *was* even better. Seeing the detail worrk put into the engine. . .wow!
So here's the film. . .(it is 11:00 somewhere)

MMARSH · MMARSH's Garage

Congrats Jim,

I thought you might like those cams once you got everything dialed in. Motor looks great. I know you can't wait to go tear up the autocross

pwd72s · 03-27-2002, 09:28 AM

Hell, my hearty thumbs up and congratulations to ALL of you with the courage and the hand skills to just drop 'em and fix 'em!

GB83SC · 03-27-2002, 01:08 PM

Glad to hear all is well with your new 3.0
I wish you many good ( fun) (fast) miles ahead !
GB83SC

Doug Zielke · 03-27-2002, 04:18 PM

Jim,
The motor looks great!
I do hope you post an essay of all the pointers you learned when you did the rebuild.

davis911s · davis911s's Garage

Yes ensure you do a write-up. I just know my engine is going to need to be rebuilt one of these days ( I hope its a long ways away) and I need to learn from all you guys. I agree one how great the members here are...cheers all around.

Shawn

Bill Douglas · 03-27-2002, 06:18 PM

Congradulations, and even looks good

island911 · 03-27-2002, 08:43 PM

. . .in case anyone forgot; Supers' engine was pushing 200K miles being driven daily on snapped studs. (I'm still amazed how little wear the p&c's had.)
So we've got to have the "before" pict' here too.

Superman · 03-27-2002, 08:48 PM

Indeed, this engine was a complete mess. It was leaking everywhere. Fully half the time this project took was in the cleaning of parts. I finally realized that to get an aluminum part cleaned required the stainless steel brush I was avoiding earlier in the project.